The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
I would bet that when you think about concrete, humor is not the first word that comes to mind. Then again, you aren’t Gordon Young.
The U.S. Highway 80 Corridor in southwest Jackson, Miss., is one of those aging main drags that could use some aesthetic improvements. To the relief of many locals, much-needed changes are being made.
Decorative concrete is everywhere these days, even at the tops of mountains. This public art piece was installed by Los Angeles artisan Steve O’Loughlin and Surface Gel Tek president Tamryn Doolan at the top of Double Peak, a popular hiking area in San Marcos, Calif.
Most bridges are built to be purely functional, but functional doesn’t have to mean boring. Decorative concrete contractors have played a key role in some recent artistically striking bridge construction projects. Using materials that add character and can withstand exposure to the outdoors, contractors are transforming concrete bridges.
The project was a lot simpler than the one Baltz ended up with. “I was first approached to do some hardscape and subbase for a network of brick or paver stone terraces,” he recalls. “The connecting walkways were going to be asphalt.” He can’t hide the disdain in his voice when he makes that last statement.
In suburb located northwest of Denver a new park sits on 9 1/2 acres of open land across from its city hall. Built to give the community a gathering spot where children could play and families could stroll, take in art and view live performances.
In August 2010, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in Winnipeg contacted Randall Klassen to get a quote for the demolition and removal of the Assiniboine Park Zoo’s Tropical House. The house had fallen into disrepair and the conservancy wanted to replace it with a rocky tropical oasis for animals, birds and plants.
The primary design focus of the five year renovation of the J. Paul Getty Museum was to modernize the existing museum, which is a replica of a Roman villa buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and breath new life using decorative concrete.
As undoubtedly the most colorful and memorable element of the U.S. National Park Service, the infamous Alcatraz Island gets more than a million visitors a year, and it shows.The concrete walkways, railings and other structures are weathered and badly in need of stabilization and repair.
From the playground to the locker room, decorative concrete is inspiring teachers and school administrators across the country.
